The background of the invention will be set forth in two parts.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains generally to headbands for flashlights and more particularly to a universal attachment device for attaching a flexible band to a flashlight.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The following prior art is presently known to applicant:
Parker U.S. Pat. No. 1,530,402 PA1 Pratt U.S. Pat. No. 1,904,902 PA1 Griner U.S. Pat. No. 2,263,577 PA1 Ostli U.S. Pat. No. 2,421,643 PA1 Mays U.S. Pat. No. 2,765,398 PA1 Hobson U.S. Pat. No. 3,069,538 PA1 Kidd U.S. Pat. No. 3,069,539
Parker discloses a headgear for holding flashlights The headgear includes a headband at the front of which is mounted U-shaped metal clip having its bight portion affixed to the headband with its spaced-apart legs extending forwardly from the headband. A U-shaped bail has the ends of its legs pivotably connected to the ends of the legs of the clip and is adapted to cradle a flashlight in a manner such that the flashlight is swingably mounted in a manner such that it projects forwardly from the front of the head of a wearer of the headgear.
Pratt discloses a headband which swingably supports the lens, reflector, and bulb assembly of a flashlight which is connected to a flashlight by a long wire. The headband positions the lens assembly on the forehead of a wearer of the headband.
Hobson discloses an arrangement similar to that disclosed in Pratt except that the lens assembly is affixed to the bill of a baseball cap.
The mounting devices of Parker, Pratt and Hobson may be referred to as "front-mounting devices." Such devices have the disadvantage that the typical flashlight, which has its long axis in the direction of the light beam axis, must project forwardly from the forehead or hat of a wearer of the device the full distance of the length of the flashlight. This requires a cumbersome mechanism and probably is practical only for small flashlights or a special arrangement wherein the head of the flashlight may be worn on the head of a user with the body portion of the flashlight being carried in the user's pocket or the like.
Ostli, Mays and Kidd disclose various arrangements for mounting a flashlight on the top of headgear worn by a user. These will be referred to as "top-mounting devices."
While generally satisfactory, top-mounting devices do have certain disadvantages. One disadvantage resides in the fact that devices for mounting a flashlight on the rounded head surface of a user results in an inherently unstable structure. Another disadvantage resides in the fact that these devices usually require cumbersome and restricting chin straps. Yet another disadvantage resides in the fact that vertical adjustment of the flashlight beam is restricted by the fact that the flashlight cannot be mounted more than a very limited distance above the head of the user.
Griner discloses a headband for a flashlight which overcomes some of the disadvantages enumerated above by mounting the flashlight on the side of the head of the user. Thus, although the Griner side-mounting device has certain advantages over the other prior art devices, it still suffers from the disadvantage that the flashlight to which the headband is attached must be of a particular construction in order to accommodate the headband.
Another disadvantage with the Griner device resides in the fact that vertical adjustment of the flashlight beam is limited to the amount the headband may be canted on the head of a user.